Happy Valley moves into one of its classic May transition weeks, with Penn State graduation bringing families to town, Centre Gives highlighting local nonprofits, and Mother’s Day rounding out the weekend
Whether you are looking for a concert, a community event, or a spring walk, this week’s calendar has a little bit of everything.
🤝 Community Happenings
For Penn State football fans, Happy Valley United: Insider Exclusive takes place tonight at Pine Grove Hall. Hosted by Jim Galanti and Chris Buchignani, this free event features Penn State football players in a live podcast-style setting, with dinner and bar service available.
At 3 Dots Downtown, a Centre Gives gathering begins this afternoon and continues into the evening, with music from Laura Boswell, Anna Pearl, and Eric Ian Farmer, along with Hook & Needle.
Teachers get their own moment of appreciation on Monday, when Discovery Space and The Rivet host Teacher Appreciation Night, with food, fun, and classroom inspiration.
💐 Mother’s Day Weekend
Way Fruit Farm hosts its Mother’s Day Craft Show on Saturday, featuring more than 35 craft vendors, the Way Café, specialty coffee, and apple cider donuts.
A Mother’s Day Tea & Tour takes place at the Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum on Saturday. The afternoon includes English teas, tea sandwiches, sweets, live music, and a mini-tour of the museum and chapel. Reservations are required.
The State College Area Municipal Band presents its Mother’s Day Concert on Sunday at Mount Nittany Middle School Auditorium.
🎨 Arts, Crafts & Community Creativity
Tonight is Crafts & Cocktails: Summer Camp Classics at Discovery Space and The Rivet.
The AAUW State College Used Book Sale runs Saturday through Tuesday at the Penn State Ag Arena, offering one of the area’s most popular annual book events.
The Creative Reuse Art Supply Swap takes place Saturday at Schlow Library. Adults and teens can bring usable arts and crafts supplies or browse for something new to take home. Donations are not required to participate.
🎭 Theater, Comedy & Performance
Tempest Studios presents Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead several times this week, including performances on Thursday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
For comedy, the Happy Valley Improv Comedy Show returns Friday at The Blue Brick Theatre.
🧠 Talks, Curiosity & Local History
On Thursday, the Centre County Genealogical Society presents Who Put the “7” in Seven Mountains? at South Hills School of Business and Technology. Paul Fagley of the Mifflin County Historical Society will explore the geology, geography, folklore, romance, and history behind the Seven Mountains.
Also on Thursday, Science on Tap: It’s All Radioactive to Me takes place at Axemann Brewery, bringing scientific conversation into a relaxed brewery setting.
🎶 Live Music Around Town
Prolix Quartet performs at Pine Grove Hall on Thursday.
Friday brings Secret Planet: Mariposas Galacticas to Manny’s Live Performance Space, while Code: Blue performs at The Attic.
On Saturday, Rick Hirsch 4 plays Alla Spina at HiWay, and Willie Nile performs at The Attic.
Sunday includes Jeff Gibble and Zeb Crews at Webster’s Bookstore Café.
🌿 Outdoors, Gardens & Spring Walks
Yoga in the Gardens takes place tonight at the Arboretum’s Overlook Pavilion.
On Thursday evening, Centred Outdoors hosts a Black Moshannon State Park Guided Outing, offering a chance to explore the forests, wetlands, and lake at one of the region’s state parks.
Then on Sunday, the organization offers two Spring Creek Canyon Guided Outings, including a walk focused on wildflowers, native plants, and the canyon’s natural history.
At the Arboretum, Adopt-a-Seedling runs Monday and Tuesday at the Overlook Pavilion, and Nature Sketching takes place Tuesday in the Palmer Museum Studio Classroom.
👀 On the Horizon
Looking ahead, classic rock fans can keep Journey’s Final Frontier Tour on the radar. The band comes to the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday, May 27, offering another marquis show as May comes to a close.
As Happy Valley shifts from gown to town, this week offers plenty of ways to celebrate, explore, or simply enjoy a quieter corner of town.
